You know it. You know that nonprofits like you are fighting harder than ever before, fighting harder for the same shrinking pool of donors. And. You know how hard it is. Every day you’re fighting harder than ever before for the same shrinking pool of donors. But what if the solution isn’t fighting harder? It’s about changing the game entirely. So nonprofit leaders, just like you, are in direct competition for the same attention, time and dollars from the loyal donors who had consistently supported your work. And they’re being targeted by every single organization.
Everyone is going after the same pool, the same 33% of the US population that identifies as a supporter of nonprofit work. But here’s the problem. That donor pool is steadily shrinking, and it’s only going to get smaller over time. That’s due because of generational attitudes that are shifting political tensions. And research shows that we’re living in a crisis of grievance, which means skepticism and doubt are at all time highs. So more and more people are stepping back from giving or just not even considering it because they feel overwhelmed, disillusioned, or it just doesn’t connect to their world. So what happens if we continue our current fight? Well, what would happen when you continue to fight for supply that’s drying up? Well, we all lose. And the sector, the nonprofit sector gets caught in a race to the bottom.
But there’s a better path forward, and we call that additive fundraising. Additive fundraising isn’t about ignoring your current support. Additive fundraising isn’t about ignoring your current supporters. You’ll always need to engage, nurture, and retain loyal donors. But the transformation, the transformation, it’s going to start that paragraph all over. Additive fundraising isn’t about ignoring your current donors. You’ll always need to retain, nurture, and grow support from them. The transformative breakthrough lies in expanding your focus beyond the usual crowd of donors.
It’s about asking, who isn’t giving yet to anyone, and why not? How can we inspire them, and where do we find them? Additive fundraising means that you’re not just competing for the same slice of the pie. You’re making the pie bigger. You’re actively seeking out new supporters, understanding their motivations and interests, and inviting them in. So how does this idea of additive fundraising work?
Here are three quick takeaways.
- Define attitudes. Look at your most loyal donors, and what do they believe? Not the demographic characteristics, but what do they believe about your mission and about supporting nonprofits? For example, attitudes within a donor base for a food bank might think highly empathetic. You know, this isn’t a food issue; this is a human dignity issue. Or they might be skeptical and feel that, well, everyone deserves support in a hard time. And so they’re very focused on what might be creating that hard time. And some of those might be, well, a little self-aggrandizing, viewing food drives as tangible proof and as ways they can show up to do good work. Now, those are all extremes, but those are examples of attitudinal beliefs that can get you know your best donors.
- Remove friction. So next, you have to remove friction. How do you take what you know to be your best donor attitudes and connect your work to people who are very unfamiliar? You need an impactful introduction that makes an emotional connection in seconds, without needing to explain what you do, why it’s important, or how it works.
- Be interruptive. You have to go to the spaces and places where donors aren’t and relate your work to them. You have to lead with the attitudinal traits that matter, spark instant connections, and that’s how new donors are born.
So here’s your challenge. Don’t just compete. Create. Reach beyond the usual suspects. Invite new voices in and help redefine what it means to give. That’s the power of additive fundraising. Or for more mission multiplier videos, visit: wearefieldtrip.com/nonprofits.
